Electric distributing system



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

R. R. BOWKER. ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM. No. 562,209. Patented June'16, 1896.

W i l g4 nmmmm W M 4 ATTORNEY (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. R. R.BOWKER. ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM.

No. 562,209. Patented June 16, 1896.

M/l/ENTUR x b/ fibw Z ATTORNEY ANDREW B GRAHAM. PMOTu-u'mowAsm NGYDNJI C(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 3.

R. R. BOWKER. ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM.

No. 562,209. Patented June 16, 1896.

W/TNESSES: lNVE/VTOI? ar/Md 1?.

Q A TTOR/VE r.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD R. BOlVKER, OF BROOKLYN, NEIV YORK.

ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 562,209, dated June 16,1896. Application filed February 27, 1896. Serial No. 581,006. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beitknown that I, RICHARD R. BOWKER, of the city of Brooklyn, Kingscounty, and State of New York, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Electric Distributing Systems, of which the following isa specification.

The invention relates to an electric distributing system such as is usedin the electriclighting plants of cities and it consists moreparticularly in the construction of said system whereby a portion of anetwork of streetconductors may be cutoff from a supply-station orwhereby a network of street-conductors receiving current from twostations may be electrically divided into two parts receiving currentfrom said stations, respectively.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an electrical diagram showingtwo electriclighting stations and a network of street-con ductorsreceiving current from both. Fig. 2 is a plan view showing theconstruction of the controllable switch-box which I prefer herein toemploy. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the mode of connection of theseveral controllable switch-boxes.

Similar numerals and letters of reference indicate like parts.

Referring first to Fig. 1, let A and B represent two electric-lightingstations, located at a distance from one another. a a a a and b l), &c.,represent streetconductors forming a network to which current issupplied by the stations A and B. The station A delivers its current toits section of streetconductors through feeders, as c c c, whichcommunicate with j unction-boxes, (indicated bythe circles cl d d;) andthe station E supplies current to its network through the feeders e c e,communicating with the junctionboxes ff f. In the network suppliedrespectively by the two stations A and I3 and in the conductors a o, a Iplace controllable switch boxes D, E, F, and G. The switch-box D isconnected by wire H to the station B 5 and the other switch-boxes, E, F,and G, are electrically connected to one another by wire 6. Theconstruction therefore is such that all the switch-boxes D, E, F, and Gmay be operated simultaneously from station E by wire H e' to breakconnection in the conductors a a a a; or, in other words, to divide thewhole network of streetconductors shown into two parts, one of whichreceives current only from station B while the other part receivescurrent only from station A. Thus I can regulate the extent of the areaof the network which each station shall supply at will; or, where thereis only a single station, I may in the same way out off from it anyportion of the network to which I may desire no further supply ofcurrent shall be sent. The invention is especially useful, however, inthe case of two stations both feeding into the same extended network. Ifthrough any cause the supply capacity of one station becomes reduced, itmay happen that undue load may fall upon the other station, and as aconsequence the intensity of the lights in the entire network becomesgreatly impaired. This effect is prevented by my present invention,because the moment that it is known that the capacity of a given stationis less ened,the controllable switch-boxes are at once operated to cutoff that station and its network from the distributing system.

IVhile I may use any form of controllable switch-box capable ofproducing when connected with the street-conductors the result which Ihave pointed out, I prefer to use a special form of box, which is fullydescribed by John Van Vleck in an application for Letters Patentsimultaneously pending herewith, Serial No. 574,190. I will now setforth a sufficient description of the said box for the purposes of thepresent application.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 2, I will. first describe theconstruction of the box which is represented at G in Fig. 3, this beingthe last box in the series. 1 is the cylindrical casing of the box,within which there is disposed a six-armed spider 2. Passing through thecenter of this spider is a shaft which carries a loose plate 3 and aloose toothed sector a. The plate 3 carries the switch-arms 5 and G,which enter between spring-contacts 7 and 8, carried, respectively, bymetal bars 0 and 10 and 11 and 12. The

positive conductor g of a street-conductor, such as a, is connected tothe plates 9 and 10, the negative conductor h to the plates 11 and 12,and hence the switch-arm 6, when in contact with the pair ofspring-contacts 7, establishes connection between the parts of thepositive conductor g, and the switch-arm 5, when in contact with theplate 8, est-L blishes connection between the parts of the negativeconductor 72. 13 is a metal clip which is connected to the neutralconductor m, which is also a part of the main a. let is an electricmotor of any suitable construction, the fieldcircuit of which ispermanently connected between the positive conductor 9 and the neutralconductor m; that is, between the plate 9 and the clip 13. The other endof the armature-circuit connects to the wire 2 which communicates withone terminal of the armature of the similar motor which is arranged inthe controllable switch-box f, Fig. 3. The other terminal of the motorin the box F connects with one terminal of the armature of the motor inswitch-box E and the other terminal of the armature in switch-box Econnects with one terminal of the armature in switch-box D. The otherterminal of the armature of switch-box D connects by wire H with theswitch'arm at the distant station B. Therefore the armatures of all ofthese switch-boxes D E F G, Fig. 3, are connected in series. Theconstruction of the boxes D, E, and F is the same as that of the box Gwith the exception that the clip 13 and connection thereto of theneutral conductor are omitted in D, E, and F, as indicated in Fig. 3, sothat, as will now be explained, the controllable switch-box G is theregulating switch-box for all that may be connected in series with it.The switch-arm j at station B may make contact with a point 7c or apoint Z, these points connecting, respectively, with a neutral and apositive conductor. Between the plate 3 and the pivoted sector 4 extendsa spiral spring 15. A train of gearing is interposed between thearmature-shaft of the motor II and the toothed sector at, so that saidsector is turned by the rotation of the motor.

Still considering Fig. 2 and now also Fig. 3 the operation of the deviceis as follows: The position of the moving parts in the boxes being asshown in Fig. 2, when the switch-arm j is placed on contact-point 7t thecircuit is completed through the motors in all of the boxes D, E, F, andG; and the current therein rotates the armatures in such direction asthrough the train of gearing to rotate the toothed sector 4 from left toright, so as to bring the spring 15 into the position shown in Fig. 2.The spring then acting on the plate 3 draws the switch-arms 5 and 6 outof contact with the contact-plates S and 7, and thus breaks the circuitin the positive and negative conductors g and h in every conductor a a a0'. By the same means, however, the switclrarm (3 in the end box G ofthe series is brought into contact with the clip 13; therefore, both theterminals of the armatures in all the boxes are rendered neutral and allof the motors stop. The circuit is now broken between the parts of thenetwork and will remain so until the controllable switch-boxes D, E, F,and G are again operated to close said circuit. In order to do this, theswitch-arm j at station B is moved into contact with the point Z, thispoint being positive. Hence it follows that the current passes throughthe motorarmatures in an opposite direction to that of the current whichhitherto moved them; and hence all turn in the opposite direction andmove the sectors 4r from right to left, thus through the springs 15retracting the arms 5 and 6 into contact with plates 7 and 8 and soclosing the circuits.

IVhile I have described the controllable switch-boxes D E F G herein asarranged in series, and so that one box, as G, may regulate theoperation of all the others, it is to be understood that I do not limitmyself to this series arrangement. Instead thereof I may usecontrollable switch-boxes each similar to G and each connected by itsown controllingwire from one station, so that boxes may be operatedsimultaneously over the four wires or in any successive order. Of coursealso I may use any desired number of switch-boxes, as D, E, F, and G.

I claim- 1. In an electric distributing system, a supply-station, anetwork of street-conductors receiving current therefrom andcontrollable switch-boxes interposed in series in said streeteonductors, and acontrolling-circuit including the actuating apparatusof said switchboxes and operated from said station, whereby when saidswitch-boxes are controlled to break circuit a portion of said networkof conductors may be electrically cut off from said supply-station,substantially as described.

2. In an electric distributing system, two supply-stations a network ofstreet-conductors receiving current from both stations and a series ofcontrollable switch-boxes interposed in said street-conductors and acontrolling-circuit including said switch-boxes and operated from one ofsaid stations; whereby said network may be separated into two parts notin electrical connection, each part receiving current from one of saidstations, sub stantially as described.

3. In an electric distributing system a supply-station B, a networkincluding street conductors as a, a and Z), Z) 810., controllableswitclrboxes, as D, E, F, G arranged in series and included respectivelyin said strcetconductors, and a controlling-circuit II I inclu ding theactuating apparatus of said boxes and operated from said station B,whereby when said boxes are operated to break circuit in saidstreet-conductors all of the network not included between said stationand said series of boxes is electrically disconn ected from saidstation, substantially as described.

4. In an electric distributing system, two supply-stations A, B anetwork including street-conductors as a, a &e., and I), b &c.,

a series of controllable switch-boxes included trieally divided into twoparts, one part receivrespectively in said conductors and located ingcurrent from station A and the other part at a distance from saidstations, and a confrom station B, substantially as described.

trolling-circuit H 71 including said boxes and R. R. BOXVKER. 5 operatedfrom one of said stations; whereby Witnesses:

when said boxes are operated to break cir- T. R. MOLLER,

cuit in said conductors, said network is elec- I..A. VAN TART.

